5. The bride of Messiah the church we are told is different than the bride of God the Father, which was established in the Old Testament to be Israel. Their is debate over whether this bride was divorced or widowed within the dispensationalist movement, but scripture will make this all clear. It seems that the Dispensationalist thinking is that the Father’s Bride will be saved after the Rapture of Christ’s Bride, and then just as there are two parts to the second coming of Christ, in their view, there are also more than two parts to the first resurrection. Jesus’ bride is resurrected, and then God’s bride is resurrected. Jesus was the first fruits of resurrection, and then those who are His, and then the those apparently who are not His. And this must be where the Father’s bride comes in. This argument further contends that the Old Testament makes land promises to Israel which must be kept in the future Millennium. This is actually true, and it is what separates the preMillennialist from the Amil and Postmillennialist positions .

The flaw, however, in this argument on the part of premillennial pre-Trib advocates, is in the thinking that the purpose of the church during the Millennium is very different than that of the saved Nation Israel. What we actually find scripture to speak is that we inherit with Israel the promises to Israel. Paul says (Eph2:11-12) that we were called the uncircumcision before coming to Christ. Thus in our past we were outside of Israel’s commonwealth, but his implication throughout scripture especially in Romans chapters 2-9-11 is that we are now the circumcision in heart and thus we join as one new man with the true Jew.

But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that which is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter; and his praise is not from men, but from God. Romans 2:29 NASB.

The heart circumcision is the promise of the new covenant, and we are thus recipients with Israel’s remnant in this new heart experience. So, considering the teaching of the two brides of God. One being the Father’s and the other the Son’s; then the real question that must be asked concerning this scenario is this: if saved Israel is the Fathers earthly bride, and Jesus is to rule the Earth with His bride does this not make Him and us superior to God the Fathers bride? Can this really be what the scripture teaches? No, it’s not.

Israel was a widow according to Scripture after Christ died. In Isaiah 53, we see the death of Jesus foretold. Then in Isaiah 54, we see Him as Israel’s redeemer restoring this now widowed former wife to her previous position as she and we are presented to Jesus as His bride. Jesus thus makes His bride of the one new man in Ephesians (Jew and Gentile). These are those of Israel’s commonwealth.

There is another point that the Dispensationalist often argue that really seems really far out when one considers the situation that we see revealed in Revelation. The argument is often made that Jesus would never place His bride in the Tribulation. He loves us too much. It may actually be another strong argument if not for the fact that many of those who make the argument teach that Israel is The Fathers Bride. They neglect to see that this argument makes the Father a wife beating husband compared to Jesus in their understanding, because they never argue for saved Israel’s removal from the Tribulation. In fact Israel must experience God’s wrath if we believe as they do that the Tribulation is God’s wrath.

But if saved Israel is not The Father’s bride; then just who’s bride is she? She obviously belongs to someone in the Godhead. She is identified with the bride in the new Jerusalem.

Revelation 21:2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. (KJV).

And then we see both Israel of old and The remnant Israel of the New Testament into which we Gentiles are grafted or adopted; and both are seen, one as the doors, and the other the foundation of this new Jerusalem representing the Bride.

Truth is truth, and we my friend and my brethren are grafted into Israel as the Bride of Christ Israel’s Messiah.

The next two points 6&7 will be dealt with together since they are related.